By Chioma Obinna
Medical docs beneath the auspices of the Medical Guild on Sunday known as on the state Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to instantly intervene in a collection of unresolved points that it says have weakened the state’s healthcare system and worsened the welfare of docs.
The Medical Guild is an umbrella physique of docs beneath the make use of of the state authorities.
Talking at a press briefing forward of its 2025 Annual Common Assembly and Scientific Convention which began yesterday, the Chairman of the Medical Guild, Dr. Moruf Abdulsalam, mentioned the affiliation might now not tolerate the long-standing neglect of important welfare, infrastructure, and coverage points affecting its members.
“We wish to deliver to your consideration a number of lingering issues which stay unresolved, for which we proceed to hunt solutions from the Lagos State Authorities,” Dr. Abdulsalam mentioned. “We name on Mr Governor to present the mandatory directives and deploy assets towards resolving these points, together with the well timed completion of the docs’ quarters in Odan, Lagos, and the residents’ quarters in LASUTH, Ikeja.”
Abdulsalam described the Medical Guild as an establishment dedicated to advocating for higher well being insurance policies and the safety of docs’ rights and welfare.
“We collect periodically from the nooks and crannies of Lagos State to appraise, advocate, community, and additional the reason for healthcare supply on behalf of ourselves, the medical occupation, and the great individuals of Lagos State who’ve entrusted us with their well being and well-being,” he mentioned.
Based on him, a number of important points have remained unresolved for years, together with the non-completion of renovation on the Docs’ Quarters in Odan and the abandonment of the LASUTH quarters. He additionally highlighted the continued enforcement of what he known as a “draconian bonding coverage,” which compels docs to serve an additional yr past the permitted in-service coaching period.
Different unresolved issues, he listed embrace the demotion of specialist consultants attributable to incorrect entry factors into public service, non-payment of educating allowances to Degree 12 medical officers, failure to deduct contributory pensions and NHF for resident docs as required by legislation, and the absence of a complete medical health insurance package deal for docs.
Abdulsalam mentioned the persistence of those issues has discouraged docs from becoming a member of in-service coaching programmes, worsening the scarcity of specialists and inserting monumental pressure on the few remaining. He famous that morale has declined sharply attributable to lack of earnings and unfavourable working circumstances, resulting in diminished curiosity amongst younger docs in pursuing specialist coaching in Lagos.
He additionally recalled the preventable elevator crash of August 1, 2023, which claimed the lifetime of a health care provider on the Common Hospital, Odan. He lamented that greater than two years after the tragedy, the state authorities had not offered a long-lasting answer.
“Regardless of our agitations for immediate rehabilitation and restoration of a practical elevate system, the hope of seeing well timed rehabilitation—with practical elevators, dependable utilities, and secure dwelling circumstances—has been dashed,” he mentioned.
The Chairman famous that this yr’s convention theme, “The No-Mattress Conundrum and Secure Referral: Exploring an Built-in and Efficient Referral System in Lagos,” goals to judge the elements limiting entry to high quality and well timed healthcare within the state.
He defined {that a} practical referral system requires clear coordination amongst healthcare professionals and establishments to make sure continuity of care.
“For a referral system to work at its greatest, all ranges of healthcare must operate optimally,” he mentioned. “Every facility should be clear about its roles, obligations, and limitations.”
He added that the sub-theme, “Office Situational Consciousness Amongst Docs,” was designed to assist docs deal with troublesome sufferers, determine verbal and non-verbal cues, and stop crises resembling assault and litigation.
Abdulsalam additionally outlined a number of achievements recorded beneath his tenure earlier than his anticipated handover to the following chairman, together with the immediate fee of revised CONMESS and arrears, registration of the Medical Guild as a company entity, completion of processes resulting in the award of a Certificates of Occupancy for the Guild’s land, acquisition of title paperwork for development, and equitable allocation of housing models donated by the Lagos State Authorities.
Regardless of the challenges, he expressed appreciation to Governor Sanwo-Olu for his efforts to reposition healthcare by way of the THEMES+ agenda, and counseled medical administrators and medical officers of well being for his or her ongoing assist.
He reaffirmed the Guild’s collaboration with the state authorities and guaranteed that the Guild stays dedicated to contributing to the development of healthcare in Lagos.
The Medical Guild additionally declared its assist for the continued strike by the Nationwide Affiliation of Resident Docs, NARD, which has crippled providers in coaching and specialist centres nationwide.
It urged the Federal Authorities to instantly meet the 19-point calls for of NARD and conclude the continued bargaining course of with NARD and the Nigerian Medical Affiliation, NMA.
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